In a self-paced reading study, we investigated how effects of biasing contexts in idiom processing interact with effects of idiom literality. Specifically, we tested if idioms with a high potential for literal interpretation (e.g., break the ice) are processed differently in figuratively and literally biasing contexts than idioms with a low potential (e.g., lose one’s cool). Participants read sentences that biased towards a figurative or literal reading of idioms and continued with resolutions that were congruent or incongruent with these biases (e.g., [The new schoolboy/the chilly Eskimo] just wanted to break the ice [with his peers/on the lake]…). While interpretations of high-literality idioms were strengthened by supporting contexts and showed costs for incongruent resolutions, low-literality idioms did not show this effect. Rather, interpreting low-literality idioms in a literal manner showed a cost regardless of context. We conclude that biasing contexts are used in a flexible process of real-time idiom processing and meaning constitution, but this effect is mediated by idiom literality.

中文翻译：

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成语处理中的语境和文学：自定进度阅读的证据。

在一项自定进度的阅读研究中，我们调查了成语处理中有偏见的上下文的影响与成语直译的影响如何相互作用。具体来说，我们测试了具有较高字面解释潜力的成语（例如，破冰）与具有较低潜力的成语（例如，失去冷静）在象征性和字面偏见的语境中的处理方式是否不同。参加者阅读的句子偏向于比喻或成语的成语阅读，并继续采用与这些偏见一致或不一致的解决方案（例如，[新小学生/寒冷的爱斯基摩人]只是想打破僵局。[与他的同龄人/在湖上]…）。虽然通过支持上下文加强了对高文化习语的解释，并显示了不一致决议的成本，但低文化习语却没有显示出这种效果。相反，无论上下文如何，以字面的方式解释低文化习语都会带来成本。我们得出结论，在实时成语处理和含义构成的灵活过程中使用了有偏见的上下文，但是这种影响是由成语直译介导的。